Friends and family carers

Recent statements in this category are shown below:

Summary: Mr and Mrs B complain the Council placed their two grandchildren with them but did not provide them with appropriate financial support. They were left without financial support for the boys' care for a long period. The Ombudsman finds the Council was at fault because it failed to provide any clarity for Mr and Mrs B about what it considered their role was in terms of the boys' care, and how the cost of that care should be met.

Summary: Mr X complains the Council has not remedied failings identified through the statutory children's complaints procedure, causing him financial loss and stress. The Ombudsman finds the Council at fault. We recommend the Council takes action; pays Mr X the amount he should have received as a family and friends foster carer and; pays Mr X £900 for stress, time and trouble.

Summary: The Council was not at fault for reducing Ms B's special guardianship allowance. It complied with Regulations by having regard to a comparable fostering allowance, but by not duplicating other benefits Ms B receives. The Council was, however, at fault for failing to properly respond to Ms B's request for further information for three months in 2018. It has already apologised for the delay, so does not need to take further action.

Summary: The complainant was concerned about the Council's support package to help her care for her two grandchildren, under her Special Guardianship Order. There has been some delay by the Council in reviewing the support but this has been caused, in part, by the continued uncertainty about whether the complainant would remain living in the area of another council. The complainant has now decided to stay put, so the Council has agreed, as a way of resolving this complaint, to reassess the complainant's support package and to report back to the Ombudsman, within two months, about what additional services it will provide.

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X's complaint about the Council's decision to reduce her Special Guardianship Allowance. This is because the Council has provided the remedy Mrs X was seeking and it is unlikely further investigation by the Ombudsman would achieve a different outcome.

Summary: Mr G complains the Council refused his request for Special Guardianship Order Allowance. The Council said he was not entitled to financial support because he is a private applicant. The Council was wrong. The Council has agreed to consider his request properly.

Summary: Mr S complains the Council failed to properly assess him and his wife as special guardians for his grandson. It then failed to send him a copy of the assessment but informed the court he had not challenged it. The investigation is being discontinued because the matters complained of can now be considered by the court.

Summary: Ms X complains the Council did not support her financially or otherwise for over a year when she became a carer for family members, until she obtained a Special Guardianship Order for the children. She also says the Council has failed to provide her with support since then. The Council was at fault as it did not provide Ms X with sufficient information to allow her to make an informed decision about entering a private arrangement. There is no evidence of fault in the support the Council provided to Ms X and the children since then. The Council has agreed to apologise to Ms X and pay her as if she had been a foster carer for the time she cared for the children before the court granted a Special Guardianship Order. It has also agreed to pay her £500 for the time and trouble bringing this complaint and review its procedures for dealing with similar cases in the future.

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complain the Council has not reimbursed legal costs after forcing them to seek a child arrangement order. There is no evidence the Council forced Mr and Mrs X to take court action. Mr and Mrs X's grandchildren came to live with them as the result of a private arrangement with their daughter.

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complain that the Council did not provide them with proper support during their time as friends and family foster carers to their grandchildren. There was fault by the Council because it did not complete the statutory children's complaints procedure. To remedy the injustice to the complainants the Council agreed to complete the procedure and a financial remedy to reflect the distress and unnecessary time and trouble suffered by the complainants.

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